First off, muchas gracias a Dr. A for teaching such an interesting and informative course! It's really a shame that it is only taught once every two years. I learned so much about culture, production, and how lucky I am live in this country. Thank you!

After viewing the final episode of my telenovela, Juana La Virgen, I was appalled at how extremely the circumstances of the villains changed. In addition, the two main villains were dealt with completely differently. For Carlota, even after attempting to kidnap the protagonists' baby, she was able to undergo some personal changes and stop her selfish, obsessive behavior. Her transformation into a forgiving, understanding woman happened practically overnight. I actually felt a little happy for her despite her dark past - after all, her actions were simply fueled by jealousy and insecurity, which she was able to ultimately overcome.

Carlota's father Rogelio, on the other hand, paid for his bad deeds. The voice of his dead victim haunted him as he wallowed in a crowded, unsanitary jail cell. And you know what, I don't feel bad for him at all. He essentially killed several people, whether directly or by accomplice. Rogelio instigated Carlota's demonic behavior and he never showed regret for what he did to gain power.

This telenovela's termination had the best of both worlds in the end: we got to see Carlota forgive and be forgiven, yet her father took the heat so that viewers' sense of vengeance and karma could be satiated. I loved the ending of the novela and can't wait to start watching the spin-off, Jane the Virgin.

Like Jessie, I couldn't wait. After hearing about all the elements that can go into a finale, I felt like I was ready to watch the finale of La Usurpadora. I haven't made it through all 101 of the previous episodes, but I've actually grown more and more invested in the show as the semester has gone on. I've stopped rolling my eyes and pretending I don't love the dramatic music and the melodrama and all the yelling (so much yelling ...) and embraced the rosa nature of this show. As invested as I am, though, I thought I might have an idea how the finale would go and I wanted to see if I was right. Besides, as Dr. A told us once, sometimes the fun isn't in finding out what happens, it's in seeing how they get there. With finals coming up, and after our discussion the other night, I wasn't sure I could wait to see that.

So. Every telenovela rosa ends with a Catholic wedding, huh? Well ...

Okay, fair enough.

But let me rewind a little. So, I thought I knew what was coming. Paola, the evil twin, would get her comeuppance, maybe die a dramatic death. Somehow, some way, Paulina and Carlos Daniel would be together and have a beautiful wedding (none of that Padrón business of dealing with the couple post-wedding), and they would become the perfect family. And I've known since probably the second episode that Fidelina is Estefanía's mother, so obviously that needed to come out. As for the rest? The slimy Willy had always given me my doubts, but I thought maybe Paulina had managed to fix him and Estefanía for good. After all, babies fix everything, right?

Oh, if only.

So maybe I should have seen this coming. When you're married to this ...

... you generally don't escape unscathed.

Poor Estefanía.

As it turns out, Willie tried to burn down the factory, and that was the last straw for Estefanía. She has a fit, and the other characters determine that she has gone crazy. As in, this appears to be the official diagnosis: "ella ha perdido la razón." Because, as it turns out, I underestimated the power of karma. As the other Brachos realize, she is being punished for her arrogance. Willie, of course, is punished for being a giant slimeball.

But it doesn't stop there. It only gets more rosa from here on out, so hold on. The karma is almost too strong.

The evil twin dies. But on her deathbed, with her last breath, she wishes her sister happiness with her husband. A redemption? Maybe, but more importantly, for Paulina it's a blessing. Now she can marry her true love -- and we knew he was her true love from the moment she laid eyes on him -- without losing an ounce of her goodness. And speaking of redemption (as we sort of were), guess who else gets his own little happy ending? None other than Osvaldo, Paulina's cheating ex-fiancé. I'll admit, for a while I thought we'd never hear from him again. But when he came back, I knew it wouldn't be that easy to get rid of him. So, in maybe the ultimate case of "pair the spares" mentality, he ends up with Carlos Daniel's brief lover, Verónica. And Carlos Daniel's brother, Rodrigo, at first suspicious and misogynistic (I guess that second one is fixed too?) has come to see Paulina as family. And he and his wife even end up with a baby, although I guess I'll leave that one unspoiled, just to keep a little mystery. Meanwhile, Estefanía is committed and now believes she is a nun ... although perhaps this is for the better. And then, finally, Paulina gets her perfect wedding. Everyone comes together, everyone oohs and ahhs at the bride, and everyone gets their closing camera shot.

WHEW.

Y'all, I love this show, I really do. I love its crazy melodramatics and its unbelievable plot twists and its enthusiastic overacting. And the finale is exactly what this ridiculous, amazing show deserves. I can't really explain it except to remind you that, as we learned, telenovelas cannot be understood without understanding the emotions involved. It got me. I love these characters -- or, in a few instances, love to hate them -- and I want (or need) them to have their happy endings. Even more than that, I get to leave this class with the knowledge that people all over the world watched this episode and this show just like I did, clutching their faces or yelling at the TV or maybe even wiping their eyes every once in a while. What a way to bring millions of people together.

So I got to see all the neat little storylines tied up like bows, and now I get to keep watching to see how they all get there. There's a long road ahead paved with telenovelas, and I can't wait to go down it.

As I write this final blog post, I realize that I'm looking at the world of telenovelas with new eyes, a fresh perspective, and greater understanding of their enormous impact on Latin American culture and society. I think many of us who really had no prior exposure to telenovelas--except learning once in a Spanish class that telenovela translated to "Spanish soap opera"--came into this course with false assumptions, stereotypical portrayals, or just no idea of what novelas actually are.

I now want to be someone who accurately explains and defines telenovelas. As we well-know, they aren't the same thing as American soap operas, and they aren't even viewed in the same light in Latin America as soaps are in the States. They are complex, draw out emotions, and involve a tremendous amount of work on behalf of the writers, production team, and the rest of the crew.

Going forward, my goal is to keep watching them. I can learn so much Spanish and so much culturally by taking the time to keep up with one. And it's fun! I've been studying Spanish for a while academically, but I feel like, especially in college, my classes focused on Spain. I studied abroad this summer in Seville, Spain as well, so the Spanish culture, history, and dialect is what I'm familiar with. I didn't know as much about Latin American culture, which is a shame because it is diverse, beautiful, and interesting. I would love to travel to many Spanish-speaking countries, and I now have more insight into the struggles, interests, and victories of Latin Americans from watching telenovelas and hearing what Dr. A shared with us.

I wrote this in one of my comments, but being culturally aware and globally-minded are such important attributes and allow us to have deeper connections and understanding with people from other backgrounds than our own. I am super passionate about this and want to keep growing in my ability to relate and be open-minded. Especially as a journalism major, that is key in prompting easier, more authentic discussions and giving subjects the freedom to be comfortable when sharing their stories.

Thank you guys for an awesome semester, and thank you Dr. A for all you taught us! We all are leaving here with new eyes.

I think one of the biggest takeaways for me in this course has been recognizing just how important it is to keep up with my Spanish-speaking, listening and writing skills. As a Spanish minor, once I finished my classes, I didn't have a way to continue practicing. While my brother is fluent (he studied Spanish in school as well) and extremely gifted with language, we rarely (read: never) practice together. Sometimes, I speak to my boyfriend in Spanish when he watches my telenovela with me, but he mostly just gets upset because he doesn't really know what I'm saying. And then, he starts speaking in German...and we just lose each other.

I didn't grow up with the influences of other languages, although we've always loved to travel as a family and I've always desired to be able to speak multiple languages. I've been to Spain several times for vacation and I studied abroad in Valencia, Spain last summer, and it will always have a special place in my heart.

Dr. A's closing remarks sparked this in me once again; she reminded me how important it is to pursue knowledge. It's amazing to be able to speak to someone else in a language that isn't native to you. It requires critical thinking unlike any other task. I'm constantly amazed by people who can quickly switch back and forth between the two. I want to be one of those people––and I think that I could be, if I just set my mind to it.

Perhaps, I just need to watch more telenovelas––sin subtítulos. I really do believe telenovelas are a practical way to practice listening skills that can translate to speaking skills with more practice. And I think they offer such a unique view into culture and society that no other medium can emulate.

Overall, I have felt empowered and inspired by this class to not only consume media, but to dissect it, analyze it and learn from it.

Dr. A gave us the final wrap-up lecture in which she stated that all telenovelas are braided together with the three strands: media, culture, and society. It has been a beautiful journey in this class and it definitely has deepened my relationships with telenovelas and it has catapulted me to a point where I know I can understand the layers and the amount of people that contribute all this work into bringing these to life.

I know this class has re-confirmed my obsession with these love stories but more so, this class has given me the gift to see the depth and layers of emotions, work, history, and love that goes into these works. I believe I have seen reflections of my culture and the cultures I wish to take part and share in. Telenovelas have allowed for people of different walks of life to understand others and they see reflections of their own life experiences in these stories. It is through the underlying stories or the little moments in episodes that tie onto people who then in turn are turned around and see the world in the eyes of the writer and characters. It allows for an interconnected-ness and feeling of unity to flow through the viewers. It has made me feel like I have been able to connect with Patria Mia from Cosita Rica, Bendita Sanchez from Cuidad Bendita, and even with Rtia from Avenida Brazil- my stepmother is not that evil though.

This journey has truly made me grateful to come from a culture that so creatively shows who we are. Though I know my journey with telenovlas will never be over- thankfully- I'm grateful that through telenovelas we are able to see how we are and how others are in their ways of life and their beliefs...what their culture values are...and even what their latest celebrity gossip is.

Speaking of rumors, incase you all were wondering, they are all true!!

Come January 4th, NBC will be putting on a new show…..called….TELENOVELA

Okay, so I won’t make you all watch the first trailer because I think it may give too much of the plot away but I think that Eva Longoria and Jencarlos Canela are going to rock NBC’s new show telenovela.

this will surround a telenovela star -eva longoria- who cannot speak spanish. the comedy series will surround changes in her life as her ex husband comes back into her life as a co-star and as she has to deal with some scary and pressuring executives.

Once I saw this video, I immediately went back to see it again because I wanted to double check and cross check that all of their production portrayals are correct!! I was so pleasantly surprised to see someone who looked like a pauta, the director, the executive were all present characters- but a part of me wanted to see more of the behind the scenes of the telenovela-I am one of those people who will watch all of the bonus material for a movie with the directors comments. Granted, this is a show about people who are filming a telenovela so there are several steps away from the actual skeleton it may fit and what this show might be compared to. I am nervous about how the show will do, and if it will just put out false perceptions of telenovelas. I was able to look on NBC's website and I saw all the head shots for the main actors...I'm not entirely sure that stereotypes will be fought in this series. Alas, I saw the Univision is producing this series, so there may be hope! I am very protective over how americans and those who aren’t exposed to this genre will perceive it so I think I will be walking on eggshells until the season is well underway. There is a special preview next Monday at 7pm so I hope you all can check it out!!

I think that our last class was my favorite of the whole semester. First off, thank you Dr. A for exposing us to new things and pushing us to go beyond surface level learning.

I loved learning about telenovelas in the context of latin american culture because there is so much more to them than I originally thought. When I came into this class I believed that telenovelas were just sappy, dramatic love story soap operas that happened to be in Spanish. For this reason, I wasn't really interested in watching them. I am so glad that I was proven wrong in this respect.

One thing I did not expect to see in telenovelas was political issues. There was so much discussion in our class about political statements being made within telenovela plots. Probably the most common that we discussed was the portrayal of Chavez by Olegario in Cosita Rica. My telenovela for the semester, Pablo Escobar: El Patron del Mal, was nothing BUT a political stance by the writers. It was a historical account of the corruption that occurred in Colombia during the time that Escobar reigned and a plea to the people to never let something so horrible occur again in their country. The reason that telenovelas are a good platform for urging the public to take charge of corruption in the government, specifically in Latin American countries, is because they are trusted. Characters in the shows become like family. They are excellent tools to represent goodness and evil in societies and how to overcome or continue it.

Another thing I never thought telenovelas would be used to address is gender roles. In traditional Rosa telenovelas gender roles are pretty set and not challenged often. The girl is rural and the man is urban and he captures her feeble heart and saves her from a life of poverty. That's the story that most rosa's stick with. This semester we also analyzed telenovelas that do NOT follow this standard. For one, there are lots of modern telenovelas where women are not seen as the feeble one, where the roles are reversed and she is the one who saves the male protagonist. A few different stories we discussed that broke the Cinderella mold were Ciudad Bendita, La Mujer Perfecta, and Cosita Rica. All showed women who were powerful in their own right, who were different and interesting and were more than their appearance.

Although those are only two of the social issues we discussed in class that telenovela writer tackle within their stories, I think they are both good examples of ways that this class broke my preconceived notion of telenovelas. This class has shown me how different media can be used to convey social improvements and that all media CAN be useful to society, if we allow them to be.

In our last class, Dr. A pushed us to find our passion and use our talents to pursue that passion. I believe that the writers of telenovelas have done that and I now appreciate the artistry, especially in the writing and production of these stories.

Television
production is growing as new technologies allow for increased consumption
sources. According to IbisWorld, 33.2% of the television industry is made up
for drama programming and, as evidenced through reproductions like “Jane the Virgin,”
the telenovela industry is at a critical growing point it its life cycle where
it has the unique opportunity to grab a hold of the U.S. viewers who enjoy
drama programs. Technology change is high and more frequently the millennial
audience, ages 18-34, uses online streaming to watch their shows after the show
has aired on TV.Telenovela producers
should take initiative and begin targeting the Hispanic millennial population
in the U.S. in order to increase growth and revenue. Doing so will add a
competitive edge to any production company.

There are many benefits to producing
digital content. One of the biggest benefits is that digital content creates
measurable metrics, such as impressions and click-thru rates. If a company were
to analyze the demographic data and metrics available through online content,
it would have a better understanding of its current audience and from there
expand its reach. Another benefit is advertising dollars. According to
IbisWorld, 75.0% of U.S. senior executives of advertising companies are
increasing their digitaladvertising
budget. Big online streaming sources, such as Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Prime
are the next generation of revenue for television production and advertisers.
Telemundo has already begun experimenting with online content and is a
well-established member of its online community. Telenovela production
companies can capitalize on digital content and online streaming by partnering
with online streaming sources. The rising online viewership rate and online and
mobile development are signals of increased revenue opportunities; we know from
class the telenovelas are an industry and its producers are revenue-oriented.
Furthermore, it is less expensive for the consumer to view online content at a
monthly rate, than to purchase a television set at a particular moment in time.
As Wifi becomes more accessible across developing nations, the trend of
online-viewership will become more evident and companies already established in
the digital streaming area will be seen as innovators with a strong competitive
advantage over their contenders.

Telenovelas are already a global
product and the barrier to entry in the U.S. could be solved with the creation
of more online content and streaming services. According to IbisWorld, 56.9% of
TV viewers use the Internet while watching TV. Any industry that capitalizes on
this fact will benefit with consumers and revenue. U.S. television production
companies are already taking telenovela tactics and reworking them for their
own benefit, and audiences are not aware. Telenovelas are at a critical point
in their development where companies could easily invest in online content and
benefit in the long-run.